


Mine And Yours

by Totallynotashieldagent



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Single Parents, Tumblr Prompt, Twins, the timelines have been thoroughly fucked my dudes, writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 17:53:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15712137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Totallynotashieldagent/pseuds/Totallynotashieldagent
Summary: The Reader's children have been picking some stuff from school that they shouldn't be knowing and the other parent is just very distracting.(i still suck at summaries)





	Mine And Yours

**Author's Note:**

> This is being written for "SGTJBucky's 3k Writing Challenge"
> 
> The date was 8th August but they were SUPER kind to let me finish this later 
> 
>  
> 
> if y'all remember, i gave the reader and alex twins in previous fics of mine,, so i'm using that again because i couldn't figure who should the reader be the parent to but then i was like HELLO OC CHILDREN!!!

You looked out the window of your house. You were thinking if maybe you should finally put a swing set in the backyard or not as you made sandwiches. 

 

The first day of third grade after winter vacations. The Christmas tree was still up and your twins were getting ready, or at least you hoped they were. You hadn't heard screaming or crying just yet. You packed the lunches slowly as the tiredness was settled properly in your bones. The whole winter break had been a whirlwind. Scott and Jean had come over to celebrate with you and the kids. Charles had surprised everyone by coming to dinner with Hank, his and Erik's foster son in tow. 

 

You set the table with breakfast and heard one pair of feet running down. 

 

"Momma, I'm ready!" Anastasia yelled as she dashed down the staircase and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief

 

"That's great, honey. Where's your brother?" You asked softly as you helped her put her lunch in her bag 

 

"He- Uh- He got stuck," She giggled to herself and you just knew that she had done something 

 

"Abe?" You called out, "Do you want mommy to come up?" 

 

"No!!" Abraham yelled back, "Ana just- She twisted my- I need help," He finally sighed and appeared at the top of the staircase 

 

You couldn't help but smile because his belt had been twisted in the loops and he couldn't buckle it properly. 

 

"Ana, what did I tell you about teasing your brother?" You shot her a look as you went up to help your little boy

 

"That I shouldn't do it," Anastasia groaned loudly and sat at the kitchen table to have breakfast 

 

"You alright, baby?" You asked Abraham softly and he nodded, "Okay, good boy. Go have breakfast," You gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and he totted down and sat right next to his sister

 

You always laughed about how those two couldn't stand each other but they couldn't bear to be apart either. They had so much of their father in them. Alex Summers. The twins had his eyes and his trouble, but your skin and hair. 

 

He'd died when you were still pregnant, so they never really knew who Alex was but Scott had helped you through the initial years and told them enough about their dad that they knew exactly how to make your heart melt. 

 

"We're done!" A chorus erupted from the kitchen and you helped them with their bags

 

The school was barely a block away, so you always preferred to walk with them. Abe was mostly the quiet one but he was brilliant and reminded you so much of Alex with every smile that spread across his face. Ana was all flare and her loud laughter made your heart sing. 

 

* * *

 

"Uncle Scott will pick you from school, okay?" You knelt down to explain, "Mommy has some extra stuff to do at work, okay?" 

 

"That's okay," Ana shrugged, "I like Uncle Scott-  He takes us for ice-cream every time he comes!" Abe elbowed her 

 

"You weren't supposed to tell momma," He whispered and you pretended not to hear anything

 

"Anyway, have a good day," You kissed the top of their heads, "And be good for Ms Hill," 

 

You stood outside until you saw them entire the building. 

 

"Hey, Y/N!" A familiar voice called out and when you turned, you saw Steve and Peter walking towards you 

 

You waved at them and Peter waved back. 

 

"How were the holidays?" Steve asked cheerily

 

"You know how they go," You laughed softly, "The kids loved every moment and I was dead on my feet," You looked down at Peter, "And how are you doing, young man?" You put your hand forward to shake it and he gave you a firm handshake, "Oh my, that's a solid one, Petey- Just like your dad!" 

 

"Thank you, ma'am," Peter's eyes lit up brightly 

 

"And such manners!" You squealed softly, "You're raising such a lovely boy, Steve,"

 

"It's hard- Especially with Tony trying to spoil him rotten," He joked and Peter ran into the building too

 

"Is he doing better now?" You asked slowly 

 

"Yeah- He's better," Steve nodded, "He'll be fine, Y/N- I know it. I was a really sick kid too but I turned out pretty okay, yeah?"

 

"I'm sure that's just Tony spoiling you rotten," You roared with laughter, "Give him my best," You turned to leave but Steve jogged up to you

 

"So, hey, are you seeing someone right now?" He asked and you rolled your eyes

 

"At least Maggie and Jim are more subtle with these things, you know," You pointed out and he smirked softly 

 

"I don't know what you mean," He shrugged, "Anyway- I have this friend- He's an old army buddy of mine-," 

 

"Nope. I'm gonna stop you right there," You cut him off, "No uniforms- I can't- You've known me since the kids have been in preschool together. You know about Alex. So- You should know- Look, thank you for thinking of me but I don't think I can even think about someone in the forces," 

 

You didn't give him a chance to respond and walked off. 

 

"But he's not in the army anymore," Steve sighed to himself and walked the other way 

 

* * *

 

Alex's death wasn't exactly fresh. You missed him because he was your first love- your only love. You missed him because he was missing your children growing up. Alex had been miles away when it had happened and all you had gotten was a stranger at your door to tell you that you were suddenly a widow and now, years later, you just didn't have time for all those other things as a single mom of two extremely bright and mischievous children. 

 

They would always be your priority and not everyone understood that. 

 

* * *

 

You went home, cleaned up a bit and got ready for work. You headed the HR department at the private school that Charles ran. He gave you a lot of leeways and let you come late but you stayed late to cover up. 

 

He had offered for the twins to study at his school, completely free of cost but you wanted them to study in the school that you and Alex had met in. Plus, with the yearly donations that Stark had made just because Steve wanted to send Peter to a public school that he had gone to, made it almost as good as a private school. You were just glad that your little ones were getting a good education and staying in line. Peter was a good boy and him and Abe, along with Ned, got along beautifully. 

 

Ana, on the other hand. She was almost friends with everyone that crossed her path but she was closest to Cassie and Michelle.

 

* * *

 

You were deep in your work that you didn't even hear the door be opened to your office

 

"It's almost 5, Y/N," Charles rolled in, "Shouldn't you be going home?" 

 

"Just a few more things," You mumbled without looking up

 

"Everyone's gone, love," He smiled, "Scott called because he couldn't reach you," 

 

"Wait- Didn't the kids have soccer and violin today?" You rubbed your eyes and he shook his head

 

"Fuck-," You groaned, "Right, that's tomorrow. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow," You gathered your papers and took a deep breath but Charles was still looking at you as if he could read your mind, "What now? Come on, spit it out," 

 

"Nothing at all," He mused softly, "I was just thinking," You cocked a brow and placed your hand on your hip but he was already out the door 

 

* * *

 

"Mom's home," Scott yelled to the twins as he hugged you, "Tough day?" 

 

"Please, Charles kicked me out," You took off your scarf and coat, "How were they?"

 

"Oh, little angels," Scott lied through his teeth and you laughed, "Might be on a sugar rush, though," 

 

"I hate you," You sighed and took your off shoes, going straight into the kitchen to get started on dinner 

 

* * *

 

"So, how was school?" The three of you sat quietly, Scott had already left

 

"It was okay. Ms Hill taught us that Pluto is a planet but then it wasn't but then it was again," She rambled on and you nodded as you hung on to every word she said

 

"That's really intense, baby," You encouraged her interest in the subject, "Maybe we could do something with Pluto for the science fair later,"

 

"Yes! It's so small and tiny," She giggled and you looked at Abraham to see how he was

 

"What about you?" You asked your son, "How was school?" 

 

"I learned a new word," Abe's eyes lit up and your brows rose as a sign for him to continue, "It's a really cool word because it can be a noun, an adjective, a verb and an adverb too!" 

 

"Oh wow, what is it?" You gave him your attention 

 

"Fuck," Abe stated proudly and your heart stopped

 

_Think, Y/N, think. What did the books say about swearing?!_  Your mind was in overdrive. Abe had clearly mentioned that he'd learned at school, so, thank goodness it wasn't you or Scott or anyone at home.

 

"Momma, isn't that-," Ana began but you cleared your throat and smiled softly so she didn't continue

 

"Where did you hear it from, darling?" You asked slowly, "It's not a nice word," 

 

"Really? Peter explained it so well," Abe's face bell and you were shocked beyond belief 

 

"Peter? Peter Stark-Rogers?" You couldn't fathom it because he was the most polite boy you'd ever met but Abe shook his head, "Peter Quill? Isn't he older?"  _Well, it would explain why he decided to teach you guys this_ , You thought to yourself

 

"What else happened today?" You changed the subject 

 

"They put in more kids in our class," Abe said in a quiet voice as he played with his food

 

"Two of them are twins, momma!" Ana told excitedly, "They're twins like us! But they look really different," 

 

"That's great! You should make friends with them. And both of you, just be sure to not use that word, alright?" You asked sternly but in a gentle voice

 

"Yes, momma," Both of them stated in unison and continued to talk about their day 

 

* * *

 

"Good morning, Ms Summers," The principal approached you, "You don't come in here usually,"

 

"Morning, Ms Carter," You smiled, "No, I was just making sure they settled in properly," 

 

"Does this have anything to do with the fact that Abraham was using a swear word quiet abundantly yesterday?" She smiled knowingly and you bit the inside of your cheek

 

"Y- Yes, Ma'am," You swallowed and gave her a nod

 

Principal Carter made you feel like you were a student again and your whole body would just freeze. The only parent that she couldn't intimidate was Tony. You'd also heard from someone that she was his godmother. 

 

"Good," She said softly and wandered off 

 

"What happened there?" Maria chuckled behind you 

 

"She still makes me shiver, Hilly," You groaned, "I don't know how you work with her," 

 

"Peggy isn't so bad once you get to know her," She assured you, "Hey, good thing you're here, I wanted to talk to you about-," 

 

"Abe saying fuck? Yeah, I know. He told me very proudly about the new word he learned," You pinched the bridge of your nose, "I hope he always stays that innocent," Maria laughed softly as children filled the classroom 

 

"Yeah, well, I'm glad he told you and that you didn't have to hear through someone else," She pointed out and you nodded too

 

"Abe said that Peter told him about it," You recalled the events of the dinner from the night before, "I'll talk to Meredith. Hey, also, the kids told me there's another pair of twins in your class?" 

 

"Yeah, Peter Romanov," Maria nodded and pointed out a silver-haired boy that was sitting with a redhead girl, "Him and his sister Wanda Barnes- Yeah, different surnames, don't ask. New kids, just started this year but were transferred to my class after the break,"

 

"That's unusual," You cocked a brow but you noticed that you'd seen them around at the school events but couldn't recall their parents

 

"Yeah, well, Phil transferred higher up the ladder so all his kids are scattered throughout now," She confided in you and you saw Meredith at the end of the hall

 

You said the quick goodbye to Maria and made your way to Meredith, though it was a little difficult through the hordes of children in the hallway.

 

"Hey, Meredith!" You called out and she smiled at you

 

Her skin was pale and she was wearing a hat.  _Oh no, she hasn't gotten any better._ Your heart sank because you didn't really want to put any more pressure on her. 

 

"Y/N, it's really good to see you," Meredith said softly, even her voice sounded fragile, "How are the kids?" 

 

"They're doing great," You told her, "How's Peter?" 

 

"Oh, he's trying," She laughed melodically, "You know that boy has his head up in the clouds but ever since I got sick, he's really been trying to be more mature and less of a trouble," 

 

"That sounds lovely," You smiled and you decided not to say anything at all, "Hey, why don't you talk to Steve? Peter's godfather is a doctor, maybe he knows someone or something?" 

 

"Tony reached out to me, actually. He set up appointments and everything," Meredith explained, "No wonder their son is such a sweet boy. Both of his fathers are so caring about everyone," 

 

"I just hope everything works out for you," You gave her a hug and exited the building 

 

* * *

 

All day at work, your mind kept going back to the night before. You looked up online on what to do when your child swears and so far, the way you'd handled things was pretty okay. However, your gut kept telling you that Quill wasn't the kid behind this. You pushed the notion aside and focused on work.

 

* * *

 

A few weeks passed without incident and your twins began to speak words that you had never heard of. 

 

"What are you guys saying?" You asked over breakfast

 

"Peter and Wanda can talk in Russian," Ana explained with a mouthful of cereal

 

"They taught us too," Abe finished his sister's sentence

 

"That's really cool, you guys," You encouraged their language skills, "What can you guys say in Russian?"

 

Both of them said a string of words that you had no idea what they meant, so, naturally, you brought up Google, and when the meanings came, your eyes went wide and you throat went dry. 

 

Thank goodness you had headphones on to listen to the meanings, otherwise, your children would've learned a whole new variety of swears in English as well. 

 

"Do you guys know what the words mean?" You swallowed and the twins shrugged, "Okay, well, how about you take a break from Russian and focus on your math and science, alright?" 

 

"Okay," Ana and Abe didn't really pay much attention but your head was swimming 

 

You called Charles and told him that you'd be late. You explained to him the reason and he had a big fat laugh about it. You got ready extremely quickly and marched right up to the school. 

 

* * *

 

"Morning, Y/N," Maria smiled but you had a sour face, "Uh oh, what happened?"

 

"It's the twins," You pinched the bridge of your nose, "It was the new twins that taught Abe and Ana the swears because they've been teaching them  _Russian_  swears too," 

 

"They haven't caused any trouble for me," She explained slowly 

 

"I'll talk to the mom," You sighed, "Just a friendly talk. I don't want a whole  _thing_  to become of this," 

 

"Uh, we've only ever met the dad," Maria pointed out, "You can get a contact from the bake sale list, James Barnes," 

 

"Thanks, Hilly- I owe you," You expressed your gratitude 

 

"Yeah, with that, that's your 500th IOU since junior high," She rolled her eyes and you went to get the number of the father

 

The bell rung soon after and the hallways were completely empty, so, you walked at your own pace to the admin office. You got the parental contact from the bake sale list. 

 

"Let's see why your kids are troublemakers, Sergeant Barnes," You sighed and pocketed your phone in which you'd fed the number.  

 

* * *

 

You went to work a little late and around lunchtime, you called the number.

 

"Hey, this is Bucky, you know what to do," The call went straight to voicemail and you were unsure if you got the right number or not. 

 

"Hello, I'm Y/N Y/L/N Summers, my kids, Anastasia and Abraham, study with yours. I wanted to speak to you about something that happened recently with the four of them. Please call me back when possible," You left a short message and hung up, diving back into your work

 

It wasn't until almost 4 pm when you got the call. The screen flashed with  _Sergeant Barnes_  and you picked the phone almost too quickly. 

 

"Hello?" You answered, not knowing what kind of a voice would come from the other side

 

"Hey, it's James. Y/N, right? I got a message from you about my kids," His voice was almost...  _soft_ , surprisingly

 

"Yes, Sergeant Barnes-," You began but his chuckle cut you off

 

"That's alright, call me James- I don't need you to use my title and all- Makes me feel old," He laughed again, "I'm just getting off work, so, how about we talk this over coffee or something? I mean it's gotta be serious if you had to track down my number through whatever means," 

 

"I didn't track down your number,  _Sergeant Barnes_ ," You stated through gritted teeth, fucking hell you hated army people so much, "Parental contacts are available through - Anyway," You stopped yourself from explaining anything, "Where would you like to meet?" 

 

The coffee shop James suggested to meet at was not too far from work and was lucky on the way home. You agreed to meet at 5:30 pm and you proceeded to call Jean, asking her to babysit the twins for the night. 

 

* * *

 

Around 5:15, you walked into the little cafe and secured a table in the corner and sent a text that you were there and also mentioned the colour of your shirt in your message to James. 

 

You called Jean to ask if everything was alright and the screams of laughter in the background told you everything you needed to know. Scott had gotten them on a sugar rush and Jean was trying to get them to do their homework before dinner and bed. You hung up and looked at your watch again. It was almost time but you had no idea who James was or what he looked like. 

 

"Hey," A tall man with his hair tucked in a bun stood in front of the table

 

"I'm sorry, I'm waiting for someone," You answered instinctively and he laughed, which made you go wide-eyed

 

"I hope so because then I would look like a fool being all by myself- I'm James," He put his hand forward to shake it and you blinked a few times before taking his hand

 

"N-Nice to meet you," You swallowed and he pulled out the chair next to you, not the one that was across from from

 

James was wearing black jeans and a maroon shirt with a black leather jacket, with a glove on his left hand. 

 

"So, what seems to be the problem?" He asked casually as he leaned onto the table, "As far as I know, Wanda and Pete love Ana and Abe," 

 

"Well, yes- They get along- But- Umm, how do yours speak Russian?" You cursed yourself for not knowing how to really get to the point

 

"Their mom is Russian. We met in Russia and they both spent their early years there," He explained easily, "Is that the problem?" He laughed again and you felt yourself getting lost in the softness of his voice

 

You shook yourself from your thoughts, "No, actually," You cleared your throat, "It's just- It's great that they know another language and I love that they're teaching Ana and Abe Russian too- It's just that Peter has been teaching them the kind of Russian that even he shouldn't know," 

 

"What do you mean?" James looked so lost, you felt like you had to explain to it him word for word

 

"Well," You took a deep breath, "A few weeks ago, he taught Abe the word  _fuck_  and when I explained that it was a bad word, Peter started teaching Abraham to swear in Russian,"

 

"What?" That's when it hit him, "I don't know where the hell that kid picks up these things- Fuck my life," He groaned softly and you stared at James in disbelief

 

"Are you- Are you serious right now?" You gasped, "You're saying _fuck_  so casually, of course, the kids are going to pick it up- Oh my goodness," You ran your fingers through your hair

 

"I'm- Okay, I'll admit, I'm not exactly doing great but throw me a bone, alright?" James sighed and you cocked a brow

 

"They're 3rd graders- Children are basically mini yous, they pick up everything you do. How is this news to you?" You were slightly annoyed at the carelessness he was showing as a parent

 

"Because Nat was better at this- At everything- My ex-wife," He took a deep breath, "Fuck- Sorry- I can't- I moved here because the kids' godfather lives here but even he can't always be there but I swear to god, I'm trying- I never thought that they were really picking up on these things," 

 

"Oh," You swallowed, "I'm sorry- I shouldn't have-," 

 

"No, I get where you're coming from- I mean, you're doing great," James chuckled, "Wanda always asks me to do her hair like Ana's and I've been growing out my hair so I actually know how the fuck to do these things- Wow, I swear a lot," You laughed at his comment and he smirked too 

 

"It takes time," You offered, "I mean, I lucked out because I had such amazing friends to help me with the twins because I don't know how I would've done it on my own," 

 

"So, the dad isn't in the picture?" James stated and you gave a soft nod

 

"Yeah, well, should've known better than to marry an army man," You shrugged, "He died before the twins were born but his brother and his fiance are their godparents, so the twins know all about their dad," 

 

"Sorry- I didn't mean to-," His eyes were full of worry and you shook your head 

 

"It's alright," You stated with a strained smile, "That's just life. Anyway," You didn't let an awkward silence build, "Just- Word of advice, talk to Peter gently. If you scold him, it'll only make him act out more," 

 

"I'll keep that in mind- Or I'll just call Steve to handle this- Steve's their godfather," James sighed softly and ordered a drink rather than a coffee, "Don't judge me- I think I earned this," 

 

"I'm not saying anything," You laughed and ordered the same for yourself, "So, Steve as in Rogers?" 

 

"Yeah- His kid is studying with ours too I think," He asked and you nodded, "Yeah, him. To be honest, between you and me, I don't think his husband likes me very much," 

 

"Tony?" You laughed loudly, "Oh, you must've really done something to piss him off- He loves everyone!" 

 

"You'll never find out, doll," He smiled and your heart almost melted 

 

"So, what do you do?" You reared the conversation away from the kids for a moment 

 

James told you that he worked with vets and helped them through their PTSD. You told him about your job and before either of you knew it, a long while had passed. 

 

He was sitting closer than before and showing pictures of Wanda when she was a baby when his phone rang. You saw Steve's name flash across the screen.

 

"What's up, punk?" He answered, "Fu- Ahem- It's that late? Yeah- No, just lost track. Yeah, I'm heading out now," He hung up quickly and in the meantime, you paid the bill. 

 

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't- Wait- Did you pay?" His brows furrowed, "You're a sneaky dame," You laughed at his choice of words

 

You two exited the cafe and you began walking towards home when James called out your name and jogged towards you. 

 

"Are you walkin'?" He asked, "Do you want a ride?" You looked at his bike and you shook your head

 

"I'm good," You stated at you stared at the bike, "Do you drive the kids around on that?" 

 

"What? No! I'm not that dumb," He rolled his eyes, "They drive their own," You opened your mouth to say something but his laugh cut you off, "I'm joking! They ride the bus to school and Steve's usually on car duty," 

 

"Nearly gave me a heart attack," You chuckled, "But- I don't know- I doubt you brought an extra helmet," 

 

"Nah, I always keep one," James popped open the seat to reveal two helmets

 

"James, I really don't know-," You were nervous; you hadn't ridden a bike since college

 

"Bucky," He smiled, "Call me Bucky- All my friends do," 

 

His smile. That was it. You took the helmet in your shaky hands and sat behind him. You kept your purse between him and you because you didn't want to be completely against him. 

 

"I'll drive carefully," He said smugly and you just knew that he didn't mean it

 

The engine revved and you explained where you lived. Your hands fell on his shoulders and you tried to keep a distance but it soon was a little impossible. He smelled like ash, gunpowder and apples. You scowled as you felt yourself enjoying his company. You were glad he couldn't see your face. 

 

A little while later, he was pulling up in front of your house. You almost fell off the boke and your thighs almost hurt. 

 

"You alright there?" He smirked as you handed back the helmet

 

"Yes, but I will never be doing that again," You said sternly and Bucky roared with laughter

 

"If you say so, doll," He gave you a smile again, "I'll see you around then," 

 

"Yeah- Yes- I mean, at school and stuff," You cleared your throat and marched up to your front door and went in without giving him a single look because if you'd turned, he would've seen the embarrassment in your eyes

 

Jean and Scott had put the kids to bed already and they didn't ask many questions, leaving you with just a hug and goodbye. You fell into bed quickly and sleep consumed you. 

 

* * *

 

Bucky got to his building and slowly opened the door, trying to make as little noise as possible because Wanda was a light sleeper, much like her mother. 

 

"You took your time," Steve commented with a smirk and Bucky stumbled back

 

"Jesus- You fu- Punk," Bucky really was starting to realize how much he swore, "Wanda and Pete went to bed?" 

 

Steve nodded and both of them headed to the balcony to talk without waking the kids up. 

 

"So, what was so urgent?" Steve finally asked

 

"Peter's been teaching a kid how to swear in Russian," Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose, "I got the call from the mom, so, I had to meet her," 

 

"I told you they would pick it up," Steve smiled and Bucky rolled his eyes

 

"I've got such amazing friends," Bucky chuckled but then a silence fell

 

"Spit it out, Buck- I know you're thinkin' somethin'," Steve nudged his best friend

 

"Nat was better at this- Better at everything, you know? What if I was wrong to take them?" Bucky didn't have the courage to look at Steve

 

"Over one little thing, you're thinking this? Buck, come on- Nat loves those two to death but she was never going to leave her work for this. Yes, she is a great mother but you're a better father and that's what they need," Steve stated as a matter of fact, "Where is this even coming from?" 

 

"I just- The lady I met- She's a single mom too and she's just got such a good handle on everything," Bucky confessed, "It made me feel like maybe I am out of my depth here. Even you're so great with Peter, he looks at you like you're made of gold. Mine look at me like," He took off the glove from his left hand and looked at the silver shining under the moonlight, "Like I'm-,"

 

"Like you're their hero, Buck," Steve completed the sentence, "Peter honestly believes that you're like RoboCop or something," 

 

"Baba?" A small voice caught bother their attention

 

Wanda stood with messy bed-hair and a blanket in her hands as she rubbed the sleep away from her eyes

 

"Hey, princess," Bucky walked into the house and picked her up, "Did we wake you up?" 

 

"Is Uncle Steve staying?" She asked with a yawn as she curled in Bucky's arms

 

"No, sweetheart, he's gotta go back to his family," He explained as Steve waved goodbye and locked the door behind himself

 

Bucky carried Wanda to her room and she got into bed. 

 

"Are we in trouble?" She asked softly, "I told Pete to not teach Abe those words but he said it's okay because you say them too," 

 

"Yeah, and I shouldn't have been saying them either, baby," Bucky sighed as he sat down beside her, "I'm sorry about it," 

 

"It's okay," She gave a smile and he gave her a goodnight kiss on her forehead before leaving the room

 

* * *

 

The next evening, Abe told you that Peter apologized to him and Ana, explaining that he didn't know that he wasn't supposed to say those words. You nodded and understood that Peter just thought they were normal to use because his father was using them too. 

 

You noticed a change in both of your children, however, which you didn't mind. Apart from them getting to learn a new language, they were bonding with another pair of siblings that had the same relationship dynamics as they did, which none of their other friends could provide. They were really beginning to bond beyond than just being brother and sister, but rather as twins. The four weren't exactly best friends but there was an unspoken understanding between them that you were happy about. 

 

* * *

 

Abou two weeks later, you got a call from James- no, Bucky. You still weren't used to that. 

 

"Hey, it's Bucky," He stated, "Wait, caller ID is a thing, sorry- Anyway- Uhh, I don't know how to do this, but-," 

 

"Ana just asked me," You laughed and he took a breath of relief

 

"Oh, thank god. Okay, so, how do you wanna do this?" Bucky asked because he'd never done this before

 

"Well, Ned and Peter will come around 5 pm," You explained, "Ana invited Michelle and Cassie," 

 

"I'll bring Wanda and Peter around 5ish too then?" He seemed a little confused, "Would it okay if I stay a little while? They've never done this so I don't want them to-,"

 

"Yeah, no, it's no problem at all," You cut him off because honestly, you were looking forward to seeing him, "The parents usually stick around for a bit, make sure everyone's settled in," 

 

"Great, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow then," He hung up and your heart dropped

 

_Why did I lie?! The parents never stay! They don't even come in!_  You banged the cellphone against your forehead as you tried to think this through

 

You called Maggie. 

 

"Hey, you busy?" You asked as she picked

 

"No, what's up? Please don't tell me you're cancelling- Cassie was really looking forward to the sleepover," Maggie groaned and you assured her that there was no cancellation

 

"I actually wanted to ask you for a favour," You swallowed and waited for her to say no

 

"Yeah, sure. What's going on?  Everything alright? I know a guy in the FBI you know- From Scott's house arrest days," She whispered through the phone and you couldn't help but smile 

 

"It's nothing like  _that_. I told a white lie and I need you to help me through it," You told her and she was on board without even knowing the details 

 

* * *

 

Before you knew it, Michelle, Abe, and Ana were up in their room and waiting for everyone else. The first bell rung, it was Cassie. 

 

"Hey, thanks so much, Maggie," You hugged her and Cassie went straight up to the twins' room

 

"Not a problem," She smiled brightly, "What am I here for?" 

 

"One of the dads has separation anxiety so I told him that other parents stay a while too," You explained, "I need you to stay for a while,"

 

"Oh! No big deal at all. Got a beer? Wine? Chips?" She rambled on, "Put on some Netflix, we'll have a sleepover too!" 

 

"You're a life saver!" You called out as the bell rang again and at door stood Steve and Bucky with all their kids along with Ned. 

 

You welcomed everyone in and pulled Steve to the side to quickly explain that you needed him to stay for a while. He shook his head but agreed nonetheless. The kids were upstairs and the parents were downstairs. Steve and Bucky were having a conversation when Maggie pulled you aside. 

 

"You never told me he was  _that_  cute. Or rather, you didn't tell me that he was cute at all," She gushed as both of you stared at the two men, "Why's he got a glove on just one hand, though?" She mumbled so you didn't really catch it 

 

"Really? I didn't- didn't even notice," You skin grew hot and Maggie rolled her eyes

 

"Hey, Y/N, what colour are James's eyes?" She asked you softly and you stole a glance at him

 

"I don't know, like an early winter morning after a storm," You said dreamily and she hummed; you cleared your throat, "I mean, they're grey or blue, I think. I don't know. Stop annoying me," You folded your arms over your chest 

 

"Yeah, I got my answer," She smiled, "I'm leaving," 

 

"What? No!" You squealed a little too loudly that it caught Steve and Bucky's attention too

 

"What's going on, ladies?" Steve strode his way towards you with Bucky in tow and you wanted to dissolve into a puddle 

 

"Oh, nothing," Maggie said casually, "Jim called so I gotta run. What about you, Steve? I'm sure Tony and you rarely get time to yourselves," 

 

"You're right," Steve nodded, "I should be heading out too," 

 

"But- I-," You had no more excuses or reasons

 

"Thanks for being a great host," Steve hugged you and left

 

Maggie whispered  _good luck_  to you and shut the door behind herself. Suddenly, the house seemed a little too empty even though you could hear the kids laughing from upstairs. 

 

"Make yourself comfortable," You finally found your voice, "I'll just go and check up on everything," Without giving him a chance to respond, you turned your heel and went up the stairs

 

Bucky took out his phone and called Steve.

 

"What the hell, punk?" Bucky started as soon as his call was picked, "You told me Tony was away on some science shit with Bruce," 

 

"I just want you to make friends apart from me, Buck," Steve assured him, "Y/N is a great person- She's actually the- I mean, she's super nice and a great mom too. She could really teach you a thing or two," 

 

"Great, now I'm here for lessons- Fuck you," Bucky whispered harshly and hung up just in time as you were coming down

 

"They're hungry, so I'm gonna give them some snacks. Could you order pizza please?" You handed him your cell phone, "You won't have to explain the address if you order from my number," 

 

He nodded numbly and sat on the couch to make the order. 

 

It was a few hours later when the kids were fed and asleep that you really realized how quiet the house was. 

 

"I've never done this before, ya know," Bucky said as you brought some pizza for yourself and him

 

"A sleepover? Yeah, no, I get it- The first time I sent the twins over to Steve's, I was worried all night," You told him as you settled on the far left of the couch, "But it gets easier, I suppose. Tony loves the kids and they love him- Plus, he's extremely entertaining and they learn a lot every time they visit them," 

 

"Thanks for letting me stick around," He smiled at you ad tucked a stray hair behind his ear

 

"Yeah, you can stay as long as you like," You couldn't help but smile back and then the sinking feeling came as to what you'd just said, "I mean, like, you know-,"

 

"Yeah, I know," He said softly and swallowed the awkwardness inside yourself 

 

"So, I was-," You began but the creaking of the stairs took your attention to the silver-haired boy standing in the hall

 

"Can you call Baba?" Peter asked softly in an accented tone

 

"He's right here, sweetie," You told him and Bucky was already on his feet

 

"What's wrong?" He whispered to Peter as he picked him up and went to sit on the top of the stairs

 

You cleaned up and as you went to the kitchen, you caught the soft side of James Barnes as a father. Peter was curled up in his arms as he was singing a lullaby to him and rocking him gently back to sleep. You set up the couch as a bed and by the time you were done, Bucky came down. 

 

"Sorry about that," He rubbed the back of his neck, "He's still getting used to me not being around all the time," 

 

"Daddy's little boy, huh?" You offered and he nodded

 

"Yeah, I mean, they've always either had me or their mom around. This is the first time that they're kinda on their own but I'm still hovering," He laughed and sat down at the kitchen counter 

 

"You said you moved here recently, so I guess the divorce is still fresh for them?" You concluded by yourself

 

"What? No, no. Natasha and I, well, we were amazing friends and we thought that it would be enough to start a family," Bucky shrugged, "But when it came down to it, I left the army and she couldn't do it. We were never really  _together_ \- I mean, we had the twins through a surrogate- But anyway, she was just more organized, I guess,"

 

"Being organized isn't everything in this, you know," You told him, "There are days when everyone's screaming and crying and the house is a mess. I mean, I work and those two are somehow never tired but you just gotta keep going through the motions," 

 

"I guess so," He agreed and you eyes fell to his glove again

 

A silence fell but it wasn't awkward. It was a genuine understanding between two single parents that it gets really hard sometimes but you just have to push through it for the long-run. 

 

"Can I ask you something?" You said unsurely, "You don't have to answer it," 

 

"It's alright, doll. Is it my glove?" He looked up at you and you nodded, "I got hit by an IED," Bucky took off his glove to show silver fingers and you were in complete awe, "Tony built me a prosthetic - He doesn't like me because I broke ripped out a steering wheel from one of his cars when I first got this," He explained with a small laugh

 

"That looks incredible," You whispered as you reached out to touch his hand instinctively instead of shying away

 

He could feel your fingertips against his palm as you traced the plates gently.

 

"That tickles, you know," He pointed out and your wonder just grew

 

"This is really, truly incredible," You said softly and Bucky smiled to himself

 

"I'd like to do this again," Bucky's voice was barely a whisper

 

"The sleepover? Yeah, sure. Just bring Wanda and Peter over anytime," You nodded but he laughed softly

 

"No, I mean- You and I- We should sit down and talk like this again- But without the kids, maybe," He explained and you couldn't help but smile 

 

"Yeah, that would be nice," You agreed because it felt like something could truly be built around the bond that the twins already had and you two were slowly forming

**Author's Note:**

> this was never meant to be so long - i just lost track - at first the story wouldn't come out of me but then when it started to rain, it was POURING!!!!
> 
> let me know what you think! i love your comments! bless <3


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